Structural steel bracket



March 6, 1934. McALPlN H. HICKEY STRUCTURAL STEEL BRACKET Filed April 7, 1952 M 4 2 J W a W O QO fi WW W 8/8 w E a. j 53 4 a; a a z w w w M .r

Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATEN'Il OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to beam and column connections and more particularly to connections of this type in which welded brackets are employed.

' i The general object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved bracket of this type preferably made up as a unit before assembly with the column shaft and which is stronger and less expensive, both with respect to the material required and the labor employed in its assembly, than those heretofore in use.

Supporting brackets of the general type employed in beam and column connections each comprise essentially three portions, namely, a member or flange which provides means for attaching the bracket to the column, a shelf memher for supporting the beam, and a vertical stiii- .ening flange for providing the necessary rigidity to resist the shearing and bending stresses sus- H20 tained by the bracket due to the loading of the supported beam.

A conventional form of riveted bracket which is now'in general use at the present time is shown in Figures 11 and 12 of the drawing attached to the present specification. In this construction, the shelf portion and part of the column attached portion are respectively provided by the two flanges of a standard angle shape, and the stif ener members are provided by a pair of angles having contacting or mutually facing spaced flanges, the other flanges of the angles overlying the column contacting flange of the shelf member, both of which flanges are secured to the column by means of the same rivets. Since the length of these stiliening or reinforcing angles is necessarily greater than the width of the underlying column attached flange, a filler piece, comprising a flat plate of the same thickness as the flanges of the angle shelf member, is inserted between the colunm and the lower portion of the stilfener member.

On the other hand, in the present invention,

flanged shapes are employed as combined column secured and stiffener elements, and a single.

flat plate is used for the shelf member, this shelf member being secured to the flanged shape by welding, whereby distinct advantages over the connections now in use are obtained, some of which will be pointed out after the several embodiments of the invention have been described in detail.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when 555 read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of my invention have been illustrated by way of example.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a beam and column connection showing one form of bracket embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modification of this embodiment in which additional welding is employed;

Figures 4, 5, and 6 are views similar to Figures 1, 2, and 3 showing another embodiment of my invention;

Figures 7, 8, and 9 are views similar to Figures 1, 2, and 3, respectively, showing a third modification;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating one manner of connecting two top aligned horizontal beams to a column, where the-beams are of different heights; and

Figures 11 and 12 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 illustrating a conventional form of riveted beam and column connection now in general use.

In the drawing, the vertical columns, which are preferably although not necessarily of H-shape, are designated in all of the figures by the letters A, and the supported structural members, which are generally in the form of I-beams, are designated by the letters B. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the supporting brackat, designated generally by the numeral 10, comprises an angle shape having flanges 11 and 12, the flange 11 being secured to the web 13 of the column preferably by means of the rivets 14. The same bracket arrangement may be applied to the flanges of the column instead of the web or, in fact, to any supporting member of the structure within the scope of the present invention. A fiat horizontal plate 15 is disposed so asto rest upon the upper ends of the flanges 11 and 12 of the angle and is secured by means of the welds 17 which may be either continuous or broken and may be on either or both sides of flange 12. The supported member B is adapted to rest upon this plate 15 in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2 and may be secured to the plate as by means of the rivets 18, by bolts, or by welding.

In Figure 3 of the drawing, additional welds 19 are shown for securing the plate 15 to the end of the flange 11 of the angle. It will be understood that any or all of the welds shown at 17 and 19 in these figures may be employed in acm cordance with the necessities of the particular construction involved.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the drawing, the bracket designated by the numeral 20 comprises two angle shapes 21 and 22, the flanges 23 of which are secured to the web 13 of the column A by means of the rivets 24. The outstanding vertically disposed flanges 25 of the angles 21 and 22 are arranged preferably in contact with each other and together constitute the stiffening flange or web of the bracket. The plate 26 in this embodiment provides the horizontal shelf member adapted to support the beam B and is secured, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, to the upper ends of the stiffening flanges 25 by means of the welds 27. In the modified form of this embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, the plate 26 is welded as at 28 to the flanges 23 of the angle members and any one of these welds 27 and 28 or any combination thereof may be employed.

In the third embodiment illustrated in Figures 7, 8, and 9, the bracket designated 30 employs a T-shape 31 (which may be either rolled as such or cut from a rolled I or H-shape) as a combined column contacting and stiffening member, the flanges 32 of the T being secured to the web 13 of the column as by means of the rivets 33. The web 35 of the T constitutes the stiffening web of the bracket, and in Figures 7 and 8 it is shown welded at its upper end to the plate 36 by means of the welds 37. In order to make a stronger connection, the flanges 32 of the T may be welded to the plate 36 as at 38, and, as in the examples previously described, either of the welds 37 or 38 or any combination thereof may be used, depending upon the necessities of the particular case.

The numerous advantages which are derived from the use of the applicants novel connections will now be set forth. In connection with the statutory necessity for particularly pointing out the improvement which the applicant has made, a brief description of the conventional form illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 of the drawing will be useful. In this construction, the shelf member upon which the beam B is adapted to rest is provided by the horizontal flange 40 of the angle 41, the other flange 42 of which is positioned flatwise against the web 13 of the column A. A filler piece 43 is disposed directly beneath the flange 42, and upon both the flange 42 and the filler piece 43 are placed the flanges 44 and 45 of the angles 46 and 47. Rivets 48 are passed through the elements 42, 43, 44, and 45 and serve to secure them to the web 13 of the column. The other flanges 49 and 50 of the angle members 46 and 47 provide stiffener means for the bracket.

The most important advantage of the applicants construction over the conventional form illustrated is that the component parts of his bracket may be made into a perfectly fitting unit piece before assembly with the column shaft, which obviates the necessity of the assembler handling three and sometimes four loose pieces which are frequently of an imperfect fit. When it is considered that a column assembler usually has four helpers and that considerable space is required in the shop, it is evident that a distinct advantage is gained by the use of a unit piece such as the applicant's.

Another of the more important advantages of the applicants construction over the conventional form lies in the elimination of certain unnecessary material and also of the labor consumed in manufacturing these surplus parts. The

punched filler piece 43 is eliminated in the applicants construction as is also the flange 42 of the shelf member. Not only does this effect an economy in construction, but the rivets which secure the bracket to the column pass through only two thicknesses of material in the applicant's construction, whereas they must secure at least three thicknesses together in the conventional form. Since most specifications for building framing state that stressed rivets such as these are to be valued at from 25% to 33 /3% less when acting through a filler plate, in the present construction fewer rivets and less material, due to the use of shorter stiffener brackets, are required.

Frequently beams framing into the flanges of the columns at the approximate elevation of those into the web require field riveting. The rivets must be inserted from the inside of the column, and, due to their length and their fixed distance from the center of the web of the column, the shop rivet heads connecting the conventional bracket to the web would interfere with their entry, making it necessary to flatten or even countersink the shop rivet heads. Sometimes it is necessary to deviate from a much desired uniform spacing either for the flange field rivets or the web shop rivets in order to make entry possible. Considerable time in making shop drawings in involved, also templet and layout work and extraordinary riveting. With the present bracket, due to the elimination of one thickness of material adjacent to the web used in the conventional bracket, these troubles are practically eliminated.

Furthermore, the elimination of one of theported beam to the bracket, it is frequently necessary in the conventional form to countersink the rivets 48 or to flatten or chip away portions of the heads thereof or, alternatively, to deviate from the well standardized spacing of rivet holes in the beams, columns, and brackets.

An added advantage lies in the ability to ex tend the beam supportingshelves provided by the plates 15, 26, and 36 to any desired distance from the web of the column to provide a greater bearing surface for the beam or to permit the proper spacing of beam and plate attached riv-' ets. This adjustment could not be made in the conventional form without substituting another size of standard angle 41 (limited to 8 inches from the column Web) and consequently making necessary a rearrangement and redesigning of the other parts of the bracket. The importance of this feature becomes more apparent when it is considered that, in many structures, the sections of the vertical columns decrease in web thickness progressively from the bottom to the top of the building, and, since it is highly desirable to utilize horizontal beams of uniform length connecting the webs of adjacent columns, the applicants novel connection provides means by which the beam ends may be supported at varying distances from the column faces without changing the rivet spacing in the beam flanges.

Then too, in the case of aligned beams such as B and B in Figure 10 of the drawing, where" it is desired to maintain the upper surfaces there-- of in the same horizontal plane, it is frequently necessary to support the lower surfaces of the beams at different heights due to variations in the heights of the beams themselves, even in the case of beams of the same nominal height. For example, it is well-known that nominal 24-inch beams may vary in height from 23% to 24% inches, and 27-inch beams may vary from 27 to 27% inches. The advantages of the use of the applicants connection in cases such as this are obvious. The plate of the bracket supporting beam B is of a greater thickness than the plate 56 upon which the beam B is adapted to rest. The provision of a supply of these plates of slightly varying thicknesses for use in connection with such beams permits the maintenance of the uniform dimensions of the stifiner and column attached angles or Ts so that they may be interchangeable both as relates to use in different brackets and with regard to their reversibility end for end. A definite uniform spacing between rivets is desirable as is also the maintenance of equal distances from the ends of the angle or T-shapes to the center lines of the top and bottom rivets. It is very obvious that this flexibility could not be attained in the use of the conventional form. Of course, in cases where it is not particularly important to insure the interchangeability of the bracket stiffening members, the plates 55 and 56 may be of the same thickness, and the dimensions of the stiffeners from the upper ends thereof to the first rivet holes may be varied.

Certain further advantages are connected with the operations necessary in shearing, punching, or otherwise preparing the parts of the bracket for assembly. The plate members employed in the applicants construction can be readily sheared and punched by the same operation, and the angles used in the conventional device cannot. The stiffener members employed in the conventional form must be chamfered as at 60 in order to fit the fillet at the inside of the angle 41. Such an operation is, of course, not necessary in the applicants construction. Furthermore, in the applicants device, there is a better bearing surface provided at the top ends of the stiffener webs. In shearing the angle members 46 and 47 of the conventional construction, the edges are left slightly rounded or oblique as at 62, and unless these parts were put through a milling opertion, an imperfect bearing surface for the flange 40 of the angle 41 would be provided. In the applicants construction, this operation is not necessary since the welds 1'7, 27, and 37 correct this defect by filling in the spaces left by the inaccurate shearing.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the applicant's invention as illustrated and described without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:-

1. As an article of manufacture, a structural steel beam supporting bracket, shop-welded for use as a unit in beam and column assemblies, said bracket comprising an element having one or more base flanges and a vertical stifiening flange projecting at an angle therefrom, a flat plate disposed upon the ends of all of said flanges at the upper end of said element, and welds joining the under surface of said plate to said flange ends, said base flange being punched for v the application of rivets, whereby it may be secured to a column or the like without modification of the latter other than by the provision of cooperating rivet holes.

2. In a construction of the class described, in combination, a column, two beams of slightly differing heights adjacent said column upon opposite sides thereof, the top surfaces of said beams being in the same horizontal plane, shop-welded brackets for supporting said beams, each having a column attached member which is provided with a base flange and a stiffening flange and is coterminous with the other of said members, the base flanges being riveted to said column, and plates welded to the stiffening flanges at the upper end of said members and upon which the beams are adapted to rest, said plates being of selective unequal thicknesses in order to compensate for the differences in the heights of said beams.

McALPIN H. HICKEY. 

